Asha Bhosle turns 89 years young and heralds another beautiful era that will surpass her career best – 11000 songs in 20 languages across 11 decades. Her contagious energy and infectious smile more than blur the age lines on her face that lights up at the mention of how she decided to learn to give injections and turn nurse or how she cooked her way into becoming a world-class restauranteur or how she earned the ire of didi (Lata Mangeshkar) when she danced on stage with a walking stick! Now, as Asha tai turns 89, she has created her own YouTube channel, and now, goes on date nights and destination trips to relax and de-stress. Her partner-in-crime is her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle.
Says Zanai fondly, “She is like my best friend. We don’t have a formal relationship. We have date nights — we go to her favourite restaurant Wasabi and have Japanese cuisine that is her favourite and we update each other on our lives and everything that is going on.”
Zanai admits that her bestie Asha supports all her dreams, no matter what, and that Asha and Zanai love to de-stress together.
Zanai reveals a secret that mentally, emotionally and almost physically, both of them are in the same age group. “My grandmother turns 89 physically, but at heart, she is 20. Today, she cooked a special meal for the entire family! And we relished every morsel.”
Admitting that the family is still mourning the loss of Didi (Lata Mangeshkar), Zanai says that with time and Covid and the loss of Lata di, wisdom has taken over. “As every year goes by, we realise how precious life is. We want to celebrate 89 years of her life!”
So, tonight, close family friends like Poonam Dhillon, Jackie Shroff and others will come home to wish her. Asha tai will cut her favourite fruit cake. Meena Mangeshkar, her sister, will drop by and the two sisters will enjoy tea together. As for Asha tai, she still has a long list of dreams that she will wish to transpire into reality as she blows out the symbolic 89 candles. “There are more than 89 wishes,” Asha Tai’s eyes twinkle. “I want to sing new songs, learn all sorts of new things… I want to pursue painting more .. And yes, I want to meet Jawans at the border… Baki kabhi aur batati hu…”
Quoting Friedrich Nietzsche, “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
As we depart, Asha Tai is waving her magic wand once again. Bringing to us the life lesson of if you live life enough, living once is more than enough…
